Sign in toNOLA.com

Sean Payton making Saints NFL's most hated team this side of Patriots

Updated January 19, 2018 at 1:29 PM;Posted January 19, 2018 at 5:45 AM

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton looks for a call during the playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, January 14, 2018. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)(Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

When asked Tuesday about his actions against the Vikings, Payton explained them as simply "good playoff fun."

And I get it. There's nothing wrong with stirring the pot a little. I do it daily in my line of work. It's the only way to make a good roux.

And I could live with Payton's answer if this were an isolated incident. But it's not. There is a pattern of behavior here, and it's not a good look for Payton or the Saints.

Frankly, Payton is acting more like a professional wrestler than an NFL head coach. Heck, Brock Lesnar shows more competitive decorum than Sideshow Sean.

I can't think of another coach in the league that would give the choke sign to an opposing player during a game.

Can you envision Bill Belichick mocking the Who Dat chant at the end of a Saints-Patriots game, win or lose?

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton engaged in a bizarre post-game exchange with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter after the teams' game last month in Tampa, Fla.Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com |The Times-Picayune

There's no doubt Payton's antics appeal to some Saints fans. When you've had sand kicked in your face for the better part of four decades, you crave the kind of audacity Payton brandishes, even if deep down inside you know it's over the top.

It's the old "He might be a you-know-what, but he's our you-know-what" principle.

Most Saints fans will tell you they wholeheartedly prefer the cocky Sean Payton to the sedated version we saw from 2014 to 2016.

But don't confuse causatives here. The Saints aren't good because of Payton's cockiness. Payton is cocky because the Saints are good. Historically, he's only acted this way when his team is talented enough to back it up.

In that regard, consider Sideshow Sean a harbinger of good things to come.

For better or worse, this is Payton. He coaches with an edge and expects his players to play with one. His intensity and competitive drive are what make him one of the best coaches in the NFL and why his players love playing for him.

The only ones in the Saints organization capable of reining him in are General Manager Mickey Loomis and Owner Tom Benson. And at this stage, I'm not sure they are capable or even motivated to curb his behavior. He is who he is. He can't help himself.

That said, I wonder how Payton would deal with it if one of his players or assistant coaches were caught doing the same thing? What if, say, the equipment manager were caught taunting the opposition and caused a viral incident in the news media?

Payton would can him on the spot. As the late great Hokie Gajan would say, "Here's a road map and an apple. Now, hit the road."

Like most coaches, Payton detests distractions. He goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid them. Unless, of course, he's the one creating them.

Payton often compares the coaching profession to teaching and parenting. And in many cases, the comparisons are apt. His players, assistants and staff look to him constantly for guidance and leadership.